Itinerary

Our All-Inclusive Vermont Bike and Brewery trip is jam-packed with outstanding cycling, breathtaking scenery, farm-to-table meals and delicious brews. Currently, we run these trips on a custom basis only. Custom trips can be designed from one to eight days long. Below is a sample six-day itinerary.

Day 1)

Burlington consistently rates as one of the country’s best cities for both outdoor enthusiasts and for beer lovers. A winning combo in our minds, so it makes sense to start and end the Challenge in Vermont’s largest city. Get your first taste of Vermont at the state’s oldest brewery before pedaling the scenic Lake Champlain Bikeway to another brewery destination. Our hotel for the night is ideally situated in the heart of downtown. (Did we mention that Burlington’s downtown is often rated as one of the nation’s best?)

Time to exit the “big city” (for Vermont, anyway). Ride through the Champlain Valley with the big lake to the left, rolling farmland to the right, and the Green Mountains beckoning in the distance. Savor the easy spinning of the Lamoille River Valley and the shift to classic New England villages before getting geared up for the real test of the day, the climb up Smugglers’ Notch. After topping out at the boulder field, descend toward the mountain town of Stowe. Cap the day with a fresh brewed lager and stunning mountain views at our lodge for the night.

Cruise the riverside Stowe bike path before heading out to a brewery with Mount Mansfield (tallest mountain in VT) as your beacon. Circle back to the quintessential Vermont mountain town of Stowe for lunch. After lunch, you can choose to expand your palette at the Ben and Jerry’s factory before arriving at a classic Vermont country inn for the evening. Brewery visits in both the morning and afternoon are part of a day to slow down, recover, and move at mountain time.

Luckily the day starts with a hearty breakfast. You’ll need it. Warm up with mellow riding along the Mad River. Then it is time to head up Appalachian Gap, the hardest climb of the trip and one of the toughest climbs in the state. Bike past the slopes of Mad River Glen ski area (home of the last single chairlift in the U.S.) and keep climbing to the top with grades that reach 14%. After the sweet views of the literal highpoint of the trip, drop down to the town of Bristol to enjoy lunch and taste the local brews. Then it is on to Middlebury, the college town that is our home for the night, to enjoy another brewery stop before reliving the day over dinner at the inn.

Your legs enjoy the easy grades of the Champlain Valley. Head north with views of Lake Champlain with the Adirondack Mountains in the distance. Experience covered bridges, quaint Vermont towns, and breweries large and small, before arriving back in Burlington. After the “awards ceremony” at our final brewery stop, a farm-to-table gastropub dinner caps an amazing day.

Go for a final spin beside Lake Champlain as you bask in the glory of completing the Vermont Bike and Brewery Challenge. Head to the beach for a celebratory dip in the lake. Or you can sleep in. Up to you. Either way, you win!